BOTTLE GOURD
The Bottle gourd belongs to the pumpkin family (Cucurbitaceae). In its wild form it is bitter and inedible, but cultivation and selection have made it into a sweet and valuable food crop.
Also called bottle squash and calabash gourd, the bottle gourd is a well traveled vegetable. And they can survive in salt water for more than 6 months.
There are dozens of cultivars with wide variation in size, color, shape, timing of fruit, etc. Sizes range from 4 inches to 40 inches in length and 2 inches to 12 inches in diameter. Neck length can by up to 15 inches.
Bottle gourds probably originated in Africa, but there are remains in Peru dating to 10,000 B.C. Remains have been found in Egypt, India, New Zealand, Mexico, Indonesia, China, and Florida. It probably floated on the seas in it's long travels.
The young gourds can be eaten like zucchini, and the older, mature gourds are cleaned and dried and used for containers such as bottles, bowls, etc.
The bottle gourd is the only cultivated crop known to have existed in both the Old and New Worlds in pre-Columbian times.
Also see: Food Articles and Cooking Tips
CULINARY SCHOOLS
& COOKING CLASSES
From Amateur & Basic Cooking Classes to Professional Chef Training & Degrees - Associates, Bachelors & Masters - More than 1,000 schools & classes listed for all 50 States, Online and Worldwide
FOOD TRIVIA and FOOD FACTS
Please feel free to link to any pages of FoodReference.com from your website.
For permission to use any of this content please E-mail: james@foodreference.com
All contents are copyright © 1990 - 2024 James T. Ehler and www.FoodReference.com unless otherwise noted.
All rights reserved. You may copy and use portions of this website for non-commercial, personal use only.
Any other use of these materials without prior written authorization is not very nice and violates the copyright.
Please take the time to request permission.
FoodReference.com (since 1999)
Home | Articles | FOOD TRIVIA | Today in Food History | Food_Timeline | Recipes | Cooking_Tips | Food Quotes | Who’s Who | Culinary Schools and Tours | Food_Trivia_Quizzes | Food Poems | Free Magazines | Food Festivals & Events
You are here > Home >
FOOD TRIVIA and FOOD FACTS SECTION